VIJAYAWADA: The Animal Husbandry Department of AP has announced that a statewide vaccination campaign against Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) will begin on March 16 and continue until April 29, 2026.
The programme, taken up under National Animal Disease Control Programme, will provide free vaccines to cattle. Dr T Damodhar Naidu, Director of the Animal Husbandry Department, said that staff will visit livestock owners’ homes to administer vaccines at no cost. To ensure coverage, 83.69 lakh doses have been distributed to districts. It will be conducted in two phases: the main round from March 16 to April 14, followed by a booster dose and coverage of remaining animals from April 15 to 29.
Foot-and-Mouth Disease is a highly contagious viral infection that affects cattle and buffaloes, particularly cross-bred animals with weaker immunity. The disease reduces milk production, weakens animals, lowers the working capacity of bulls and oxen, and can cause calf deaths, leading to heavy economic losses for farmers.
Symptoms include high fever, blisters in the mouth and hooves, drooling saliva and others. Recovery may take up to six months. Naidu urged livestock farmers to take advantage of free vaccination programme to protect their animals, stressing that vaccination is the only effective preventive measure against FMD.